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HSing with a special needs child + baby in the house - back to PS :( *update*

I am literally nauseous. DD and DH want her to go back to PS next year. A different school than the one we pulled her from (not sure how DHplans to pull that off), but a PS no less. I have come to really dislike PS for a hundred different reasons.

The biggest reasons for going back to PS are....

... my 3yo DD who has sensory processing problems. I love her more than life itself but she is a pretty hard child to care for.

... my 1yo who is glued to me all the time. High need. I fear he has sensory problems as well. Still breastfeeds frequently. I know he'll be older in the fall and things will be different, but honestly, toddlers aren't much easier than babies.

Due to these two things, our home isn't a great learning environment. Yes, I'm stressed. I'd be stressed with or without homeschooling DD. It's rarely peaceful. DD has her own room upstairs and can get a slice of peace, but even then there's a chance my 3yo will have a meltdown because she can't go into her sister's room while she's doing schoolwork.

Update: A lot of folks are asking the same question and I only have a minute so I can't quote each one. She is 9 in 3rd grade. Their naptimes are spread out over the day and the sensory toddler has pretty much stopped napping except for sometimes a small nap (30 minutes) around 5:00 or 6:00. The baby takes an afternoon nap and a nap around 5:00. We do what we can while he's asleep but the toddler does not entertain herself well. We didn't find out she was special needs until December and she wasn't this bad when we started.

On a positive note, I found out that our area has several Charter schools she can attend. DH and I agreed that if she can't attend one of those schools (out of district kids are selected by lottery) she will HS again. There's also a part time private school where kids go to school two days a week and homeschool the other three. I really like this idea but we can't afford it right now.

I'm still heartbroken but at least the charter schools are better than her old PS. I really like the way one of them operates.

How old is your DD that you are homeschooling? Maybe you can have her do some co-op classes, to get her around other kids (because I would bet that is really what she wants in going to school) & then have her do self directed work at home!

I can't even imagine trying to homeschool a child - or be the child trying to learn, in a chaotic environment.

In our home, it is the special needs child with PTSD who causes the turmoil and the gifted toddler who calms things down and insists that learning take place. If the 10yo won't read, the 1yo chunks a book at him and says, "ead!" When she's watching Your Baby Can Read, she makes him sit down with her. Then we switch to Your Child Can Read. Then he plays counting games with her. He's learning that whatever he does, good or bad, she mimics; so he's starting to do more and more positive behaviors.

Often, the UMS's (University Model Schools) such as you mentioned will have scholarships available. I used to teach at a local UMS and loved it; and I have a friend who teaches there now. WONDERFUL school. It wouldn't hurt to see if they have any scholarships available.

Hi I have 2 kids, my son has special needs also. He's mildly retarded, PTSD from watching a domestic violence act against me, Bipolar Disorder and ADHD. He goes to a school for kids with emotional problems and he does better in there than me homeschooling him. I try to include him when he's out of school and Destinay homeschools but it is hard because he can get loud and will cause distractions. I love both of my children but I don't think it would work for both of them.

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